Islands

Tuberculosis In The

Is the Lowly Pig to Blame?

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Jan. 7.

ONE of the greatest medical mysteries is the wide prevalence of tuberculosis throughout the islands of the South Pacific. The free, active out-of-door life of the Polynesian should, in the ordinary course of events, fortify his body against invasion by this disease. Tuber culosis usually finds its breeding ground in crowded, ill-lighted, urban communi ties under conditions of unwholesome air, under-nourishment and squalor.

An explanation of this anomaly has been offered by an eminent physician and surgeon who has served many years as medical officer in two of the largest archipelagoes in Polynesia. His re searches and experience have convinced him that the propagator of tuberculosis in the islands is the pig. It is generally accepted that, of all the lower animals,

the physical constitution of the pig most nearly resembles that of man.

Canibals we have met, testify that the flesh of man is much like pork in tex ture and flavour. Scientists use the guinea-pig in their researches into the diseases which afflict humanity. It has been established that the pig is an easy victim of tuberculosis of the same type as that which attacks human beings.

The Polynesian method of cooking in the ahimaa (native oven) corresponds to the preparing of food in a fireless cooker. The ahimaa does not generate enough heat to destroy the tubercular bacilli which can survive a temperature of 60 deg. centigrade for the period of an hour.

The physician quoted has found a high percentage of pigs in Polynesia to be in fected with tuberculosis. A continuous diet of live germs is bound, sooner or later, to break through any resistence the body may offer. This appears plaus ible and might explain the appearance of the disease in the most unexpected places.

EDITORIAL NOTE: A somewhat similar conclusion —that the pig definite ly is suspect—was reached by medical officers who investigated the prevalence of tuberculosis in Papuan villages near Port Moresby some two or three years ago. This is a good illustration of the need for general conferences —in this in stance, in relation to tuberculosis —between Administrative officials of the various Islands territories.

Mr. J. L. Bain, who until the end of last year had been in charge of Papua Oil Development Co.’s wireless station at Daru, Western Papua, died in Pt. Mores by Hospital on January 7. His connec tion with Papua dated back to 1914, when he installed the first wireless tele graphy plant on the west side of Paga Hill. The following year he was respon sible for the erection of a station on Woodlark Island.